GA # 12 – Group 3

Members: Zam, Michael P, Osiris, & Tae.

Main Components of a Personal Essay:

Thesis –

• We believe that there should be a clear thesis statement indicating what one’s paper will be about, who is being addressed (the audience) which would affect the tone of the paper and last but not least the purpose of the paper. This is the core of the paper which is stated in order to give the audience the general idea and concept of what they will be reading. This is where the effort and thought process would occur. (30%)

Strength of Argument –

• One’s argument is connected to the thesis. More importantly what is needed for the argument is facts and evidence in order to prove or back up the thesis provided. This also shows the audience the author’s knowledge of the topic and shows the proper usage of the argument. This is also where one can raise the counterargument to notify their readers of the other possibility, yet having it come back in their favor which evidently will happen to prove their thesis. (40%)

Chronological Order –

• The order of paragraphs is of high importance. It creates a flow throughout the reading. It provides organized thoughts as the audience continues to read. The order of one’s thoughts and ideas help transition onto the next paragraph. For example if one was to provide evidence, as each paragraph goes on, the evidence becomes more convincing. This hopefully would trigger the reader’s mind and understand the point that was trying to be made across. (10%)

Connecting Evidence back to Thesis –

• Once everything is said and done, a good personal essay should have that connection of all the evidence and facts proving their thesis to be true. This also allows the thesis to be clearer if it wasn’t too clear to begin with since it is being traced back to. It also reassures the strength of the arguments that were used and in conclusion helps the audience grasp the content better. (20%)